between us was crystal clear, and I knew the minute my brothers saw her they would clue into it as well.
We pulled to a stop in Galena, the second to last stop before Willowdale. The drunk humans from earlier got off, and I shook my head, wondering how humans functioned every day without dying. They were very clumsy creatures. Galena was an almost completely human town and Willowdale was almost all supernatural, except during the holiday tourist season when it became a ski location.
I knew the drive up to Willowdale wasn’t very long. Frowning, I tried to decide what my best option was going forward. I didn’t want to wake up Colette if I didn’t have to, but I also knew that I had to handle this the right way so I didn’t scare her off. Removing the headphone from her ear, I called my sister, knowing that she would be less biased than my brothers.
“Hey-yy!” My sister drew out, sounding as if she was moving about her apartment, seemingly busy. Then again, ever since opening that bakery, our little sister was always busy. I think she enjoyed it. Something that she got from our mother for sure. I was more laid back, so I had no idea how she managed it.
Our family dynamic was a close one, the four of us siblings having had to work together when our parents had passed away around my sixteenth birthday. At that point, my oldest brother had been old enough to take over legally as well as becoming Alpha upon the death of our father. While it had taken some time, we had healed as a family. We all did certain things in order to keep our parents alive in our memories.
It was no doubt why Lena had opened her own bakery. She and our mother had bonded over the craft and their mutual love for carrot cake.
Yup, my sister was a bunny shifter. My mother had been as well, which of course had been somewhat amusing considering that had meant a bunny shifter had been Luna to our wolf pack. Not that anyone gave a shit. Willowdale was a small, peaceful village.
When our sister had first approached us with the business plan, I had immediately been on board because of how passionate she seemed about it. Lena had gone through a bit of a rough patch after losing our mother, so I had a feeling it would help her heal. Plus, I know that my father would have supported her dreams, so it only felt right to do the same.
My oldest brother, Hunter, hadn’t been particularly thrilled that she’d wanted to move out to live above the bakery, but she was also twenty, so I felt like it was a solid move. I knew that we could be a bit overprotective, so branching out on her own was necessary.
Plus, I loved my sister, but she was a bit of a wild card and some space of her own would probably make her feel more anchored and responsible.
“Lena,” I said in a serious tone so she would redirect her obvious lack of attention.
I heard her stop whatever she was doing. “What’s wrong?”
My lip twerked slightly. “Nothing is exactly wrong, I am on my way back home from the city and we are about ten minutes out--”
“We?” she immediately questioned, sounding amused. “Are you making random friends on the bus now, Dylan?”
“No,” I chuckled, “we, as in, my mate and I.”
Silence echoed, and I punctuated it with “Don’t tell the others just yet.”
“Holy shit!” She squealed as I rolled my eyes. “This is so exciting! Can I talk to her? What’s she like? I had a feeling you three would find your mate soon--”
“Lena,” I raised my voice slightly trying to smother a laugh. “For one, she’s sleeping right now. Long story short, she’s exhausted and seems to have been traveling for quite a bit. She needs a place to stay. I would bring her to the pack house but I am not sure that would be a good idea just yet…”
“Oh shit.” She became more serious. “You are totally right. Those two psychos are way too intense for someone that is even fully caffeinated, let alone tired.”
“I don’t think she knows a lot about the supernatural community,” I stated softly.
Lena inhaled, her voice filled with concern. “Have her stay at my place, at least for the night. I know you probably won’t want to leave so you can crash on the couch…